James Fogle Explained

James Fogle (September 29, 1936 – August 23, 2012) was the American author of the autobiographical novel Drugstore Cowboy, which became the basis for the film of the same name.^[1] He was born in Elcho, Wisconsin.

Fogle was in prison at the time of the film's release in 1989.^[2] A career criminal with a sixth-grade education,^[3] Fogle had been in trouble with the law many times starting in his teens and throughout the rest of his life. On May 27, 2010, Fogle was arrested with another man for robbing a drugstore in Redmond, Washington. He was held on $500,000 bail as he awaited trial.

Fogle was arrested again for robbing a Seattle pharmacy in 2011. On Friday, March 4, 2011, he was sentenced to 15 years and nine months in prison.^[4] On August 23, 2012, Fogle died of mesothelioma at the age of 75 in the state Monroe Correctional Complex in Monroe, Washington.^[5] Though Fogle wrote many short stories and novels, the only one that has been published is Drugstore Cowboy with the rest in the possession of Daniel Yost, a screenwriter and Fogle's friend.^[6]

Bibliography

Source:^[7]

• Adventure in Madness (short story)
• Drugstore Cowboy (novel) (1990)
• Doing It All (novel)
• Needle in the Sky (novel)
• Satan's Sandbox (novel)
• House of Worms (novel)
• Drugstore Cowboy Rides Again (Backside of a Mirror) (novel)
• Reckless Endearment
• Harse Apples
• Gold Gold Gold
• The Just and the Unjust
• Bird's Nest on the Ground (short story)

Notes and References

1. News: 'Drugstore Cowboy' author headed back to prison for robbery . The Seattle Times . John . de Leon . March 4, 2011.
2. News: Drugstore Cowboy, Stuck in a Loop . The New York Times . William . Yardley . May 27, 2010.
3. Sara Jean Greene, "'Drugstore Cowboy' sentenced to what may be his last ride," Seattle Times, 4 March 2011.
4. News: Drugstore Cowboy author arrested over pharmacy robbery - again . Nick . Allen . Telegraph . May 27, 2010 . London.
5. News: James Fogle, who wrote 'Drugstore Cowboy,' dies at 75 . The Washington Post . August 25, 2012. 2012-08-25.
6. Web site: The return of the 'Drugstore Cowboy'. 25 August 2014.
7. Web site: The Seattle Times | Local news, sports, business, politics, entertainment, travel, restaurants and opinion for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.